Does the Seasonal Flu Shot Protect Against H1N1 Flu?

My kids have received their yearly flu shot. Does it protect them against the H1N1 flu virus?– Debra

If your kids get the seasonal flu vaccine during the 2010-2011 season (beginning fall 2010), they are protected against H1N1 flu. That's because this year’s flu shot includes the H1N1 vaccine and protects against the H1N1 flu virus. If your kids were vaccinated during the 2009-2010 flu season, they would have needed two separate flu vaccines: the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine.

Because the flu virus changes from year to year, children need to be vaccinated every flu season.

Flu shots are offered as a shot (injected through the skin) or as a spray mist (into the nasal cavity). Children younger than 9 years need two doses of the vaccine 1 month apart if they have never had a flu shot or did not get the H1N1 vaccine during the 2009-2010 flu season. Older kids and teens need only one dose. Side effects may include soreness or swelling at the site of the injection or mild side effects, such as headache or low-grade fever.

Although we can't reply personally, you may see your question posted to this page in the future. If you're looking for medical advice, a diagnosis, or treatment, consult your doctor or other qualified medical professional. If this is an emergency, contact emergency services in your area.

Akron Children's Hospital is one of the largest pediatric hospitals in the U.S., and ranked among the best children's hospitals by U.S. News and World Report.
Our dedicated staff handles nearly 800,000 patient visits each year through our 2 hospital campuses and a large network of locations offering primary and specialty care.
We're leading the way to healthier futures for children and communities through expert medical care, research, and prevention and wellness programs.
As a teaching affiliate of Northeast Ohio Medical University and other universities,
we train new generations of pediatricians, specialists and nurses every year.
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Akron Children's provides primary, critical and specialized care to the patients who come to us, as well as those our Home Care Group treats at home. We help families focus on their sick children with a support staff to deal with the practical details of a hospital stay. Beyond our walls, we help children reach their full potential with more than 100 advocacy, outreach and education programs.
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From Beachwood to Dover, Norwalk to western Pennsylvania, and just about everywhere in between, Akron Children's growing healthcare system has a full range of pediatric specialists, primary care providers, hospitals and regional care centers right in your own community or within easy driving distance.
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The Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute is the hub for research and innovation activity at Akron Children's Hospital. The institute facilitates sponsored clinical studies as well as internal investigator-initiated research programs across a spectrum of research subjects. The institute also offers research-oriented educational opportunities for fellows, students and faculty from around the globe.

Ranked a Best Children's Hospital, Akron Children's is the largest pediatric healthcare provider in northeast Ohio. Whether a child needs a few stitches or treatment for a serious illness, we offer the highest quality of care, using the latest techniques and technology, as well as a caring touch. Our philosophy of child- and family-centered care guides everything we do.
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